three men on the bummel(三个闲逛的人)-第34章
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was not much time for calm elucidation； as our own train was starting in a
few minutes。 The man himself was volublealways a mistake when
anything entangled has to be made clear； while the porter was only too
eager to get the job done with and so breathe again。 It dawned upon me
ten minutes later； when thinking the matter over in the train； that though I
had agreed with the porter that it would be best for the bicycle to go by
way of Immendingen； and had agreed to his booking it to Immendingen； I
had neglected to give instructions for its departure from Immendingen。
Were I of a despondent temperament I should be worrying myself at the
present moment with the reflection that in all probability that bicycle is
still at Immendingen to this day。 But I regard it as good philosophy to
endeavour always to see the brighter side of things。 Possibly the porter
corrected my omission on his own account； or some simple miracle may
have happened to restore that bicycle to its owner some time before the
end of his tour。 The bag we sent to Radolfzell： but here I console
myself with the recollection that it was labelled Constance； and no doubt
after a while the railway authorities； finding it unclaimed at Radolfzell；
forwarded it on to Constance。
But all this is apart from the moral I wished to draw from the incident。
The true inwardness of the situation lay in the indignation of this Britisher
at finding a German railway porter unable to comprehend English。 The
moment we spoke to him he expressed this indignation in no measured
terms。
〃Thank you very much indeed；〃 he said； 〃it's simple enough。 I want
to go to Donaueschingen myself by train； from Donaueschingen I am
going to walk to Geisengen； from Geisengen I am going to take the train
to Engen； and from Engen I am going to bicycle to Constance。 But I don't
want to take my bag with me； I want to find it at Constance when I get
there。 I have been trying to explain the thing to this fool for the last ten
minutes； but I can't get it into him。〃
〃It is very disgraceful；〃 I agreed。 〃Some of these German workmen
know hardly any other language than their own。〃
〃I have gone over it with him；〃 continued the man； 〃on the time table；
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and explained it by pantomime。 Even then I could not knock it into
him。〃
〃I can hardly believe you；〃 I again remarked； 〃you would think the
thing explained itself。〃
Harris was angry with the man； he wished to reprove him for his folly
in journeying through the outlying portions of a foreign clime； and seeking
in such to accomplish complicated railway tricks without knowing a word
of the language of the country。 But I checked the impulsiveness of Harris；
and pointed out to him the great and good work at which the man was
unconsciously assisting。
Shakespeare and Milton may have done their little best to spread
acquaintance with the English tongue among the less favoured inhabitants
of Europe。 Newton and Darwin may have rendered their language a
necessity among educated and thoughtful foreigners。 Dickens and Ouida
（for your folk who imagine that the literary world is bounded by the
prejudices of New Grub Street； would be surprised and grieved at the
position occupied abroad by this at… home…sneered…at lady） may have
helped still further to popularise it。 But the man who has spread the
knowledge of English from Cape St。 Vincent to the Ural Mountains is the
Englishman who； unable or unwilling to learn a single word of any
language but his own； travels purse in hand into every corner of the
Continent。 One may be shocked at his ignorance； annoyed at his
stupidity； angry at his presumption。 But the practical fact remains； he it
is that is anglicising Europe。 For him the Swiss peasant tramps through
the snow on winter evenings to attend the English class open in every
village。 For him the coachman and the guard； the chambermaid and the
laundress； pore over their English grammars and colloquial phrase books。
For him the foreign shopkeeper and merchant send their sons and
daughters in their thousands to study in every English town。 For him it is
that every foreign hotel… and restaurant…keeper adds to his advertisement：
〃Only those with fair knowledge of English need apply。〃
Did the English…speaking races make it their rule to speak anything
else than English； the marvellous progress of the English tongue
throughout the world would stop。 The English…speaking man stands
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amid the strangers and jingles his gold。
〃Here；〃 cries； 〃is payment for all such as can speak English。〃
He it is who is the great educator。 Theoretically we may scold him；
practically we should take our hats off to him。 He is the missionary of
the English tongue。
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CHAPTER XII
We are grieved at the earthly instincts of the GermanA superb view；
but no restaurantContinental opinion of the Englishman That he does
not know enough to come in out of the rainThere comes a weary
traveller with a brickThe hurting of the dogAn undesirable family
residenceA fruitful regionA merry old soul comes up the hillGeorge；
alarmed at the lateness of the hour； hastens down the other sideHarris
follows him； to show him the wayI hate being alone； and follow Harris
Pronunciation specially designed for use of foreigners。
A thing that vexes much the high…class Anglo…Saxon soul is the earthly
instinct prompting the German to fix a restaurant at the goal of every
excursion。 On mountain summit； in fairy glen； on lonely pass； by
waterfall or winding stream； stands ever the busy Wirtschaft。 How can
one rhapsodise over a view when surrounded by beer…stained tables？
How lose one's self in historical reverie amid the odour of roast veal and
spinach？
One day； on elevating thoughts intent； we climbed through tangled
woods。
〃And at the top；〃 said Harris； bitterly； as we paused to breathe a space
and pull our belts a hole tighter； 〃there will be a gaudy restaurant； where
people will be guzzling beefsteaks and plum tarts and drinking white
wine。〃
〃Do you think so？〃 said George。
〃Sure to be；〃 answered Harris； 〃you know their way。 Not one grove
will they consent to dedicate to solitude and contemplation； not one height
will they leave to the lover of nature unpolluted by the gross and the
material。〃
〃I calculate；〃 I remarked； 〃that we shall be there a little before one
o'clock； provided we don't dawdle。〃
〃The 'mittagstisch' will be just ready；〃 groaned Harris； 〃with possibly
some of those little blue trout they catch about here。 In Germany one
never seems able to get away from food and drink。 It is maddening！〃
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We pushed on； and in the beauty of the walk forgot our indignation。
My estimate proved to be correct。
At a quarter to one； said Harris； who was leading：
〃Here we are； I can see the summit。〃
〃Any sign of that restaurant？〃 said George。
〃I don't notice it；〃 replied Harris； 〃but it's there； you may be sure；
confound it！〃
Five minutes later we stood upon the top。 We looked north； south；
east and west； then we looked at one another。
〃Grand view； isn't it？〃 said Harris。
〃Magnificent；〃 I agreed。
〃Superb；〃 remarked George。
〃They have had the good sense for once；〃 said Harris； 〃to put that
restaurant out of sight。〃
〃They do seem to have hidden it；〃 said George。 〃One doesn't mind
the thing so much when it is not forced under one's nose；〃 said Harris。
〃Of course； in its place；〃 I observed； 〃a restaurant is right enough。〃
〃I should like to know where they have put it；〃 said George。
〃Suppose we look for it？〃 said Harris； with inspiration。
It seemed a good idea。 I felt curious myself。 We agreed to explore
in different directions； returning to the summit to report progress。 In half
an hour we stood together once again。 There was no need for words。
The face of one and all of us announced plainly that at last we had
discovered a recess of German nature untarnished by the sordid suggestion
of food or drink。
〃I should never have believed it possible；〃 said Harris： 〃would you？〃
〃I should say；〃 I replied； 〃that this is the only square quarter of a mile
in the entire Fatherland unprovided with one。〃
〃And we three strangers have struck it；〃 said George； 〃without an
effort。〃
〃True；〃 I observed。 〃By pure good fortune we are now enabled to
feast our finer senses undisturbed by appeal to our lower nature。 Observe
the light upon those distant peaks； is it not ravishing？〃
〃Talking of nature；〃 said George； 〃which should you say was the
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nearest way down？〃
〃The road to the left；〃 I replied； after consulting the guide book； 〃takes
us to Sonnensteigwhere； by…the…by； I observe the 'Goldener Adler' is well
spoken ofin about two hours。 The road to t
